22 November, 2006

Afgha.com has a story, with links, that a number of Taliban have been arrested in Pakistani army raids in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan. According to Dawn there has been 47 arrests, all recent arrivals in the country.

Police raids would continue to arrest any Taliban who come to Pakistan illegally," the CCPO [Capital City Police Officer] Quetta said, adding that all the arrested suspects had been booked under the Foreigners Act and were handed over to authorities concerned for interrogation. "At the moment, I cannot say if there any wanted Taliban leader among the arrested suspects," he said.

After interrogation, the detainees will be returned to Afghanistan. Afgha.com links the action to pressure from Afghanistan and Tony Blair. Maybe, but it is perhaps more likely that internal Pakistani political imperatives are at work.